Improvement in ornamental chains



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EGBERT S. RICHARDS, OF ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL CHAINS, &o.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EGBERI S. RICHARDS, of Attleborough, in theCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and use-- fulimprovement in making ornamental chains, breast pins, ear-drops, andsimilar articles of ornament and I do hereby declare that the followingspecification, taken in connection with the drawings, making a part ofthe same, is'a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Figures l and 2 are views of dii'erent styles y of chains. Fig.3 is across-section ot' one of the links. Fig. 4 is aview of a breast-pin, andFig. 5 of an ear-drop.

Ornamental chains have been made coinposed of links of glass tubing, theends of each link being furnished with a metallic tip and eye as a meansfor attaching the links to each other. These chains have heretofore beenmade with no other means of securing the tips to the link than by awireextending through the hollow axis ofthe glass link and soldered toeach tip. Links of this deseription,hav ing no external protection, areliable to be easily broken from the brittle character of the material ofwhich they are composed, and chains of this description possess inconsequence a much less merchantable value than they otherwise wouldhave.-

The object of my improvement is to remedy to a considerable extent thisobjection and at the same time add greatly to the beauty of the article;and in so doing, I have employed a 'principle which is applicable, notonly to the class of ornamental chains spoken of, but also to many formsof breast-pins, ear-drops, and other ornamental articles.

For the purposes of a guard-chain, I make each link of glass tubing, thesurface of which is iluted, with channels running parallel with the linethrough the central axis, as shown in Fig. 2, or spirally around theaxis, as shown in Fig. 1. These channels are for the purpose ofreceiving the metallic rods hereinafter mentioned, and thereby avoidingincreasing the apparent diameter of the link, as well as for the purposeof giving the effect of inlaid work to the article; but it is notnecessary that the links should be so Iiuted to constitute my invention,as plain cylindrical links can be used with the same advantages ofconstruction, though in my opinion the article when so made is inferiorin point of artistic ettect.

a a represent the tips of each link, which are each furnished with theeye b for the connecting-ring c, by which it is attached to the nextlink. The tips of each link are connected together by the wire rods d dd, soldered at their ends to the tips, so thatthe tips and rodsconstitute aframe-work within which the glass link is held. lttlutedlinks are used, the rods should be placed in the channels and. shouldcorrespond in number to the number of channels.

It is obvious that by this method of construction a great advantage instrength is obtained,inasmuch as the number of points of attachment areincreased with the number of rods used, while'a rod running through thehollow axis can be also employed, if desired. The chief advantage ofconstruction, however, which is the result of my improvement, is thatthe rods and caps form a skeleton frame for the glass, so that if thelink should become fractured it will still be sustained by theframe-work and the injury be hardly perceptible, while without theimprovement the broken parts, having' no external support except thetips, which are attached only by cement to the glass, would soon becomedetached and play loosely against the central wire.

The same method of construction, it is obvious, can also be applied tomany other articles of ornament with the same advantages of strength andof pleasing effect above described.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent a cruciform pattern of breastpin and ear-drop.The tips which cover the ends are attached to the central socket, A, bymeans of the rods d d d, in the same manner as previously described, andform a skeleton metallic cross, within which the glass or other materialis held and by which it is sustained.

Although my improvement is especially adapted to the use of glass orother similar brittle material, it can also with advantage be employedwhere other substances-as, for interials which do not admit of beingunited to meta-1 by solderare used.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The improved method of making links for guard-chains, breast-pins,ear-drops, or other similar articles 0f ornament described', coni sstingofthe use of' a skeleton frame of metal, i

stance, Wood, vuloanizedrnbber, or other mai i i i i Within which theglass or other material coinposing the body of the ornament iscontained, and by which it is held in place, substantialiy as specified.

EGBERT S. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

BENJ. F. THURs'roN, J @HN D. THURsToN.

